New supercar blasts off

If you think a Lamborghini or Ferrari is a head-turner, you’ll love this exciting new machine. Called the MC1, it’s just over 4.5 metres long, features a futuristic-looking swooping body and rides on 20-inch alloys at the front, with 21-inch rims at the rear.

Set to go on sale in 2011, the supercar will be powered by a newly developed mid-mounted V10 petrol engine that delivers a huge 600bhp. There’s no word yet on performance figures, but with this much power, it should be able to cover 0-60mph in around four seconds on its way to a maximum speed of 200mph.

The MC1 has been designed by styling house Motorcity Europe, based in Col­ogne, and the man behind it is David Hilton. The 39-year-old is originally from Detroit, and moved to Ger­many while employed by Ford.

Hilton’s credentials include work on the S-MAX, as well as the Focus RS and ST projects. But since striking out on his own seven years ago, his clients have ranged from Hyundai to SsangYong and Peugeot to VW. “I think Ferrari and Lamborghini get a bad rap at the moment due to their links to football players,” he explained. “Customers want something unique that doesn’t have that, which is what we hope the MC1 will be.”

The two-seater is a dramatic piece of design. The carbon fibre monocoque shell’s two-tone bonnet flows into the smoked glass windscreen, and scissor doors dominate the flanks. At the rear, vertical lamps and stacked exhausts further enhance the aggressive look.